Weblogs

Padres seek record win vs. Dodgers

There is more at stake than being in first place and facing the Dodgers Tuesday night for the Padres when they return to Petco Park to start a six-game homestand.

A win Tuesday (7:05 p.m.; TV: 4 San Diego) night would also balance the Padres all-time home record at 1,655 wins and 1,655 losses.

The Padres haven't been .500 at home since they were 8-8 after the first 16 home games of the franchise's history in 1969.

OK, so there's also a pennant race going on here. But how many of you can actually say they were there when the Padres first plunged under .500 at then San Diego Stadium?

Now, back to the other important things on the table.

The Padres open this homestand Tuesday atop the National League West with a 3 1/2-game lead on the Giants. The Dodgers are six games back going into the three-game series at Petco Park.

But the Dodgers and Padres meet seven times over the next 10 games with four games at Dodger Stadium early next week -- in other words enough games to change the balance of power between the two teams.

And the Padres have won four of the first five games played between the Dodgers and Padres, including sweeping a three-game series at Petco Park May 14-16. That sweep represents the only time this season that the Padres have lost three straight games.

Billingsley, who turns 29 Thursday, blanked the Padres on four hits over 7 1/3 innings at Petco Park on May 16 as the Padres defeated the Padres 1-0 to complete their three-game sweep.

Overall, Billingsley is 4-2 at Petco Park with a 2.43 ERA in 12 games (eight starts). The Padres are hitting only .199 against Billingsley in San Diego. Billingsley is 9-4 in his career against the Padres with a 2.51 ERA in 19 games (15 starts). He is coming off 2-0 shutout of the San Francisco Giants.

Garland's 2.51 ERA at home this season is the ninth best mark in the National League. He picked up the Padres lone win against the Dodgers this season and is 2-1 career with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against the team that he finished the 2009 season with.

But Garland is 3-4 with a 5.47 ERA over his last nine starts are going 6-2 with a 2.15 ERA in his first 11 starts.

His downfall has been the big inning early in games. In six of his last nine starts, he has given up a three or four-run inning in the first three innings. Garland's ERA in the first three innings this season is 5.70 compared to 1.51 from the fourth inning on.